In general, edible films are produced in a thin film form by combining materials healthful to the human body with a raw material such as starch, which is not harmful to the human body and is readily dissolved in water, and are considered films fit to be eaten. These edible films allow healthful materials to be administered through the oral cavity or the skin. For example, in the event that any edible film is put into and dissolved in the mouth, the healthful materials can be easily administered into the human body. Further, these edible films make it possible to administer cosmetics or medicines through attachment to the skin, etc.
Recently, these edible films have been used for a breath freshener by adding materials for removing and preventing foul breath, providing fresh aromas, such as peppermint or menthol, and pigment. These edible films for the breath freshener can replace gum or candy, which have been broadly used to date in spite of the problem of environmental pollution or dental hygiene. Especially, the edible films for the breath freshener can be served for dessert at big restaurants, etc. where large quantities of gum or candy are provided to customers for dessert.
An instrument for storing these edible films, which are vulnerable to moisture and are produced in a thin film form, and then dispensing pieces of the edible film one by one is an edible film dispenser. This edible film dispenser is generally classified into a portable type and a desktop type. The portable type edible film dispenser is designed to hold a sheet-like edible film in a pocket-like box in the form of sheets that can be pulled out one by one when used. The desktop type edible film dispenser is designed to cut and discharge a roll of edible film, which is held in a dispenser on the front counter of a restaurant, in pieces of a predetermined size and to discharge them one by one when used.
The present invention is directed to such a desktop type edible film dispenser, which cuts an edible film wound in the form of a roll and dispenses pieces of the cut edible film one by one. This desktop type edible film dispenser can continuously dispense the edible film, so that it can be used in restaurants, hospitals, banks, etc. by many persons.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an example of a related edible film dispenser. As illustrated, when the edible film dispenser 200 is switched on, an edible film tape 202 wound in the form of a roll is rotated to cause edible tape 202a to be drawn out. The drawn edible tape 202a is cut to a predetermined length, and thus is discharged as a piece of edible film 202c. Then, the piece of the discharged edible film 202c is pulled out by a user when used.
As illustrated, the related edible film dispenser 200 generally comprises the edible film tape 202, which is wound in the form of a roll, and a dispenser body 210, which discharges the edible film tape 202 mounted therein, cuts the drawn edible film tape 202 to a predetermined length, and dispenses the cut edible film tape 202.
The edible film tape 202 has the structure of a dual tape consisting of the edible tape 202a and a release paper tape 202b. One end of the edible film tape 202 is wound around a cylindrical main bobbin 203. In the dispenser body 210, a main shaft 211, on which the main bobbin 203 is supported, is spaced apart from a take-up shaft 215, on which a take-up bobbin 204, onto which the release paper tape 202b separated from the edible film tape 202 is wound, is supported. Further, a guide unit 212 for guiding the edible film tape 202, a separating shaft 213 for drawing out the edible film tape 202 and separating the release paper tape 202b from the edible tape 202a, a cutter unit 214 for cutting the edible tape 202a drawn out through the guide unit 212, and a drawn length sensor unit 216 having sensors 261 and 263 for sensing the rotation distance of the separating shaft 213 are installed between the main shaft 211 and the take-up shaft 215.
Thus, in order to set the edible film tape 202, wound in a roll form, for the related edible film dispenser 200, first, the edible film tape 202, wound in a roll form, is rotatably installed on the main shaft 211 formed in the dispenser body 210, particularly an inner case 219. The edible film tape 202, drawn out of the inner case 219, passes through the guide unit 212. Then, the edible tape 202a, separated at the separating shaft 213, passes through a through-slit 241 of the cutter unit 214 and is suspended, while the release paper tape 202b, separated from the edible film tape 202, is fixed on the outer circumference of the take-up bobbin 204 via the drawn length sensor unit 216.
In this manner, the edible file dispenser 200 according to the related art is designed to directly mount the edible film tape 202, wound in a roll form, on the dispenser body 210 without using the cartridge. As such, the setting of the edible film tape 202 takes a lot of time and requires skill. The edible film tape 202, which is vulnerable to moisture, is damaged if it is exposed to moisture flowing into the dispenser body 210.
Because it takes a lot of time to set the edible film tape 202, the edible film tape 202 may not be set at a busy time, such as lunchtime or dinnertime, at the desired time, thus creating dissatisfied customers. Thus, this complicated setting work is responsible for discouraging the use of the edible film dispenser 200 in restaurants. Further, the related edible film dispenser 200 does not use the cartridge for protection against moisture, so that the edible tape is damaged by the moisture or is contaminated by foreign materials or microorganisms. Furthermore, the edible tape, damaged by the moisture, sticks fast to the release paper tape, and thus is not discharged.
In addition, the related edible film dispenser 200 has a large bottom area, so that it is in difficult to install in a narrow place such as a counter table. In other words, the related edible film dispenser 200 has a structure in which the take-up shaft 215, the guide unit 212, the separating shaft 213, a driver unit 243, etc. are installed at the front of the edible film tape 202, which is wound in a roll form, so that the dispenser body 210 is disposed in a horizontal direction. Thus, the bottom area of the dispenser body 210 is wide, and the arrangement of parts is not compact. Consequently, the related edible film dispenser 200 requires a separate table dedicated thereto.
These problems usually make it difficult to distribute the edible film dispenser 200, and the failure to popularize the edible film dispenser 200 is attributed thereto. The inventor of the present invention devised a new type of edible film dispenser capable of solving these problems, as well as a cartridge for dispensing the edible film.